Under-Sink Adjustable Drip Tray

ABSTRACT

This disclosure is an under-sink adjustable drip tray affixed to the base of sink cabinets to collect leaking water. The leaked water is collected in the tray and channeled through drains to the outside of the cabinet. The drains are placed on the edge of the cabinet frame and the cabinet door such that all water leavers the underside of the sink, keeping the cabinet free of any water damage. Furthermore, liner curtains can be affixed to the under-sink adjustable drip tray and the cabinet walls in order to capture any spills or water droplets that may cause splashing throughout the cabinet. As a result, the sink cabinets are kept dry and clean even when a plumber is repairing or maintaining the plumbing under the sink.

PRIORITY CLAIMS AND CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is related to and claims domestic priority benefits, per 35 USC § 119(e), from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 63/157,406 filed on Mar. 5, 2021, the entire contents, of the aforementioned application, are expressly incorporated hereinto by reference.

BACKGROUND

The invention relates to the field of sink drip mitigation using an adjustable under-sink drip tray apparatus.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

The disclosure herein helps to protect the bottom part of the sink cabinets from water damage as the sink may leak or pipes around the sink may leak and spill water within the cabinet. Moreover, this disclosure can help protect the cabinet from liquid spillage from whatever source.

In an embodiment, the drip tray and curtain together can keep most, if not all, water out thereby leaving the cabinet dry and free of water damage. Furthermore, this disclosure can protect the bottom of a sink cabinet while for example a repairman is conducting repair and maintenance under the sink and or the pipes. Where water may spray or leak from such repair, the soiled water can be collected and directed using the tray such that the cabinets stay virtually dry and any household cleaners or chemicals placed on the tray are not damaged in that process.

SUMMARY

In accordance with an aspect of these disclosures, there is provided an under-sink drip tray, including: a drip tray, at least one flexible drain which may be attached to a front of the drip tray, and a liner curtain which in his turn may have an adhesive on its outer surface.

The at least one flexible drain of the under-sink drip tray may also have at least one channel terminating at a hole which may be located in the front of the drip tray, wherein the channel may have a vertical orientation. The at least one flexible drain may extend beyond the floor of the under-sink drip tray, wherein the at least one flexible drain may have an adhesive side.

The liner curtain of the under-sink drip tray may include at least two segments and the drip tray may also include at least two separate segments, wherein the separate segments of the drip tray may be affixed, sealed or bound together. At least one flexible drain may be attached to a front of each of the two separate segments, wherein the flexible drain may have at least on channel terminating at a hole which may be located in the front of the at least two separate segments.

In accordance with an aspect of these disclosures, there is provided a method of installing an under-sink adjustable drip tray, which may include the steps of laying inside of a sink cabinet two-part structured under-sink adjustable tray, adjusting the size of the under-sink adjustable drip tray and temporarily fixing the position of the two parts of the under-sink adjustable drip tray with a combiner and binding the two parts of the under-sink adjustable drip tray. The method of installing the under-sink adjustable drip tray may further include steps of removing the combiner, attaching at least one liner curtain on at least one cabinet wall and affixing at least one flexible drain to a frame of the cabinet frame of the cabinet with the possible use of the adhesive.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments in accordance with the present invention are shown in the drawings and will be described below with reference to the figures, whereby elements having the same effect have been provided with the same reference numerals. The following is shown:

FIG. 1 is a frontal view of an embodiment of an under-sink adjustable drip tray, placed in a sink cabinet.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the under-sink adjustable drip tray as the two parts are being attached to one another.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the under-sink adjustable drip tray showing the two conjoined sections.

FIG. 4 is a front elevation view of an embodiment of the under-sink adjustable drip tray.

FIG. 5 is a right-side elevation view of the under-sink adjustable drip tray.

FIG. 6 is a rear elevation view of the under-sink adjustable drip tray.

FIG. 7 is a left elevation view of the under-sink adjustable drip tray.

FIG. 8 is a top plan view of the under-sink adjustable drip tray.

FIG. 9 is a bottom plan view of the under-sink adjustable drip tray.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of another under-sink adjustable drip tray, placed in a sink cabinet.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the under-sink adjustable drip tray, placed in a sink cabinet with household cleaning items placed in the tray.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the under-sink adjustable drip tray, placed in a sink cabinet where the drains are shown contoured to the structure of the cabinet edge and doors.

DESCRIPTION

The present apparatus is an under-sink adjustable drip tray.

In FIG. 1, the present apparatus is described with a typical sink (12) installed in a conventional sink cabinet (34). Furthermore, the under-sink adjustable drip tray (10) is shown laying on the floor of the cabinet (34) directing the captured water (60) out from under the cabinet (34). That way, any water leaving the sink (12) is collected by the under-sink adjustable drip tray (10).

The cabinet (34) is shown to have a left wall (36), a right wall (40), a back wall (38), cabinet edges (72) and a frame (42) supporting the overall structure of the cabinet (34).

The cabinet (34) has the under-sink adjustable drip tray (10) installed such that the two halves of the under-sink adjustable drip tray (10) are sealed together in part using some type of an adhesive (46) or flexible but attachable barrier. Furthermore, the under-sink adjustable drip tray (10) is further structurally secured by use of a combiner (44) that can be an adhesive of some sort. The combiner (44) allows the user to temporarily fix the positions of the two parts of the tray as the user adjusts the final size of the under-sink adjustable drip tray (10). After the user has set the desired length of the under-sink adjustable drip tray (10), the combiner (44) can be removed and the two halves of the under-sink adjustable drip tray (10) can be secured, in part, by the chosen adhesive tape (46). More details of how two halves of the under-sink adjustable drip tray (10) can be secured are discussed in paragraph [0026]).

In one embodiment of the under-sink adjustable drip tray (10), a liner curtain (74) is used to drape around the cabinet walls (36, 38 and 40) such that the liner curtain (74) protects the cabinet walls from any water splashes or drips. Furthermore, the liner curtain (74) can also direct any water splashes or drips onto the under-sink adjustable drip tray (10). The outer surface of the liner curtain (74) that is facing the cabinet walls (36, 38 and 40) has its edge impregnated with an adhesive substance (76) with a protective film (78) covering it. Once the user removes the protective film (78), he/she can press the liner curtain (74) unto the cabinet walls (36, 38 and 40) in order to affix the liner curtain (74) unto the under-sink adjustable drip tray (10). Likewise, the liner curtain (74) is similarly attached unto the under-sink adjustable drip tray (10) using another adhesive substance (not shown) on the lower edge (80) of the liner curtain (74).

In FIG. 2, the present system is described showing the under-sink adjustable drip tray (10) as an adjustable two-part structure. The under-sink adjustable drip tray (10) can be made of some rigid structure with material composition of steel, aluminum, ceramic, metal alloy or made with materials such as plastic, PET-film or polystyrene.

The under-sink adjustable drip tray (10) is shown to have two sections, the left tray (14) and the right tray (16) being placed against the left and right sides of the cabinet (34), respectively. The left tray (14) having a left side (20), a back side (22), open side (24) and a front side (18). Likewise, the right tray (16) also has a back side, (30), a right side (28) and a front side (26) and an open side (32). The two halves, left tray (14) and the right tray (16), are affixed together by inserting one into or on top of the other based on desired length of the user which is dictated by the width of the cabinet (34). The openings (24 and 32) are joined together in order to accomplish this result.

Once desired length of the under-sink adjustable drip tray (10) has been selected, the openings (24) and (32) can be sealed together using a sealant (52) such as a double tape, silicone or caulking or even a double-sided adhesive tape (48 a), once the adhesive tape's (48 a) protective film (50 a) has been removed. Alternatively, the adhesive (48 a) can be a single sided tape such that it does not have a protective film (50 a) on the outside facing surface which would allow the user to use adhesive glue, caulking or some other type of sealant to create a water proof barrier in between the left tray (14) and the right tray (16) of the under-sink adjustable drip tray (10). The left tray (14) and the right tray (16) thus are bound together using the sealant (52) and the adhesive tape (48 a). The other way to bind together the left tray (14) and the right tray (16) is by sealing (24) and (32) openings using single sided adhesive tape (46) as shown in FIG. 1.

The front sides (18) and (26) of the under-sink adjustable drip tray (10) each have a drain (54) with drain channel (58) that is channeled through and terminates at a hole (56) on the front sides (18) and (26) where the water can exit out of and from the under-sink adjustable drip tray (10). The drain (54) extends beyond the floor of the under-sink adjustable drip tray (10) to guide the water away and out of the cabinet (34). The drain (54) may be affixed unto the frame (42) with use of an adhesive tape (48 b) such as a double tape where one side of the adhesive tape (48 b) sticks to the frame (42) of the cabinet (34) once the protective film (50 b) has been removed and the other side of the adhesive tape (48 b) is affixed to the back side of the drain (54). The drain (54) can be flexible in nature.

FIGS. 3-9 depict the under-sink adjustable drip tray (10) in various views such as a perspective view, frontal view, right side view, rear side view, left side view, topside view and bottom side view, respectively.

FIG. 10 depicts another embodiment of an under-sink drip tray (70), where segmented liner curtain (82) and (84) can be affixed on any side of the under-sink adjustable drip tray (10) or the under-sink drip tray (70) in order to provide splash proofing in case the sink, drain or piping splashes or drips water in the cabinet (34). In this embodiment, the under-sink drip tray (70) is a fixed at its length and the user just has to insert it into the cabinet (34) and optionally use the segmented liner curtain (82) and (84) to attach them unto the under-sink drip tray (70). In another embodiment, once the length of the drip tray is determined, the under-sink adjustable drip tray (10) is fixed at its length and the user just has to insert it into the cabinet (34) and optionally use the segmented liner curtain (82) and (84) to attach them unto the under-sink adjustable drip tray (10). In the above configurations, an exemplary cabinet (34) would have hinges (64) and cabinet door bumpers (66).

FIG. 11 depicts a view of any of the above-mentioned embodiments showing some household items (86) placed on the under-sink adjustable drip tray (10) or the under-sink drip tray (70). The cabinet (34) is also depicted with one of its doors (62) closed shut such that the water (60) being dispersed inside the cabinet (34) is shown exiting from the drain (58).

FIG. 12 depicts another view of any of the above-mentioned embodiments showing the under-sink adjustable drip tray (10) or the under-sink drip tray (70). In this embodiment, the cabinet (34) has a center divider (68) that is recessed inside of the cabinet (34). Because of the center divider (68), the under-sink adjustable drip tray (10) or the under-sink drip tray (70) sits back inside the cabinet such that the drain (58) adjusts and molds to the opening edge of the cabinet (34) and is affixed unto it using the respective adhesive on the back of the drain (58). This allows for any water to flow out of the cabinet (34) while the cabinet door (62) is closed shut.

Although the present disclosure has been described in considerable detail with reference to certain embodiments thereof, other embodiments are possible. Therefore, the scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the description of the embodiments contained herein. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An under-sink drip tray, comprising: a drip tray; at least one flexible drain attached to a front of the drip tray; and a liner curtain.
 2. The under-sink drip tray of claim 1, wherein the liner curtain has adhesive on its outer surface.
 3. The under-sink drip tray of claim 2, wherein the at least one flexible drain has at least one channel terminating at a hole located in the front of the drip tray.
 4. The under-sink drip tray of claim 3, wherein the channel has a vertical orientation.
 5. The under-sink drip tray of claim 4, wherein the at least one flexible drain extends beyond a floor of the under-sink drip tray.
 6. The under-sink drip tray of claim 5, wherein the at least one flexible drain has an adhesive side.
 7. The under-sink drip tray of claim 6, wherein the liner curtain comprises of at least two segments.
 8. The under-sink drip tray of claim 7, wherein the drip tray comprises of at least two separate segments.
 9. The under-sink drip tray of claim 6, wherein the drip tray comprises of at least two separate segments.
 10. The under-sink drip tray of claim 8, wherein the separate segments are affixed or sealed together.
 11. The under-sink drip tray of claim 9, wherein the separate segments are affixed or sealed together.
 12. An adjustable under-sink drip tray, comprising of a drip tray that incorporates at least two separate segments.
 13. The adjustable under-sink drip tray of claim 12, wherein the at least two separate segments are bound together.
 14. The adjustable under-sink drip tray of claim 13, further comprising at least one flexible drain attached to a front of each of the two separate segments, wherein the flexible drain has at least one channel terminating at a hole located in the front of the at least two separate segments.
 15. A method of installing an under-sink adjustable drip tray, comprising the steps of: laying on the inside of a sink cabinet with a two-part structured under-sink adjustable drip tray; adjusting the size of the under-sink adjustable drip tray and temporarily fixing the position of the two parts of the under-sink adjustable drip tray with a combiner; and binding the two parts of the under-sink adjustable drip tray.
 16. The method of installing the under-sink adjustable drip tray of claim 15, further includes the step of removing the combiner.
 17. The method of installing the under-sink adjustable drip tray of claim 15, further includes the step of attaching at least one liner curtain on at least one cabinet wall.
 18. The method of installing the under-sink adjustable drip tray of claim 15, further includes the step of affixing at least one flexible drain to a frame of the cabinet using an adhesive. 